Five films from across the country have been selected to compete in the Elgin Short Film Festival (ESFF) set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin, beginning at 7 p.m.
With more than 50 films submitted from around the United States, the five selected films run the gamut from comedy to drama. They are:
The Visionary, directed by Gwydhar Bratton, Chicago, Il.
Crossing the Line, directed by Tim Miller, Louisville, Ky.
The Erogenous Zone, directed by Nick Abdo, North Hollywood Ca.
House of Cards, directed by David Priego, Chicago, Il.
The Booby Trap, directed by Simon Pennekamp, Chicago, Il.
The ESFF panel of judges, led by WGN’s film critic Dean Richards, will constitute 70% of the deciding votes for the first, second and third place winners. The remaining 30% will be determined by members of the screening audience. The cash prizes will consist of $1,000 for First Place; $500 for Second Place and $300 for Third Place.
Because of the large amount of quality films received, the ESFF committee has decided to screen a brief program containing all the trailers of the submitted movies during the intermission, while the judges are deliberating.
“ We were very impressed with the high quality of so many of the films submitted, and wanted to let the audience share in the experience of seeing more than just the five finalists,” said Jeff Grosser, chairman of the Hemmens Advisory Board.
Dean Richards, WGN-TV’s entertainment reporter and critic, will serve as Master of Ceremonies and will serve as a judge. Richards’ entertainment reports and reviews are seen on “WGN Morning News,” “WGN Midday News,” “WGN Evening News” and “WGN News at Nine,” where he interviews national and local celebrities, reports on showbiz, and reviews the latest movies and theater.
Red carpet arrival of Richards and the award finalists will be at 6:30 p.m., with the film screening beginning at 7 p.m. Presented by the Hemmens Cultural Center and The City of Elgin, the event is sponsored in part by the Palmer Foundation, The Cultural Arts Commission and Beaux Arts.
Hemmens Cultural Center is located along the Fox River in beautiful historic downtown Elgin, and is easily accessible from I-90. Parking is free. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at www.hemmen.org or at the Hemmens box office at 847-931-5900.